Fiber container with opening means



Oct. 26, 1965 JQR. LEEZER 3,214,078

FIBER CONTAINER WITH OPENING MEANS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 INVENTOR JAMES 2 522.22

United States Patent 3,214,078 FIBER CONTAINER WITH OPENING MEANS James R. Leezer, Jelfersonville, Ind., assignor to The Pillsbury Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 258,529 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates to spirally-wound or longitudinally seam, fibrous-core, tubular container. More particularly, the invention is directed-to such a container having a longitudinal joint formed by overlapping opposite marginal portions of the fibrous core, and tear means aligned in the overlap area capable of penetrating the completethickness of the fibrous core.

The invention is particularly useful for packing refrigerated biscuits, rolls, doughnuts and the like. Although in the foregoing examples pressure is exerted on the inside of the container due to the leavening of the dough, the container may be used with contents that exert no pressure.

The prior art reveals various tubular containers for packaging dough. Although many diiferent containers are disclosed, for example US. Pat. Nos. 2,793,126, 2,891,- 714, 2,901,162, 3,021,047, 3,035,753, 3,036,502, no known prior art discloses a tubular container having a longitudinal lap joint and tear means aligned therein as hereafter described.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a simply-constructed, easy-opening, tubular container having a longitudinal lap joint and tear means aligned therein.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of the container.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of a specific embodiment wherein the longitudinal lap joint extends around only part of the circumference.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of a specific embodiment wherein the longitudinal lap joint extends around no part of the circumference, having a length equal to the height of the cylindrical container.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along the line 44 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a top view showing a mandrel with a body member being wound thereon to form the container of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 6 is a top view showing a mandrel with the body member being wound thereon to form the container of FIGURE 3.

The preferred embodiment of the novel container 10 appears in FIGURE 1. The container 10 consists of a body member spirally wound with opposite edges 13 and 22 overlapped. The body member 15 consists of an outer label 19, a fibrous core 20, and an inner liner 21. The three have their opposite edges in registration as best seen at 13 and 22 in FIGURE 4. Both the inner liner 21 and outer label 19 consist of aluminum foil laminated to kraft paper. The fibrous body 20 consists of standard paper board stock of about .026 inch thickness. The outer label 19, fibrous core 20 and inner liner 21 are adhered together.

External edge 13 and internal edge 22 of body member 15 are overlapped to form an overlap area 29. That portion of fibrous core 20 extending from external edge 13 for distance 29 is referred to as the external marginal portion. That portion of fibrous core 20 extending from internal edge 22 for distance 29 is referred to as the internal marginal portion. The overlap 29 extends helically around the complete circumference of the container, the full length of the container. The amount of overlap 29 is uniform throughout the length and is about /4 inch.

Tear strip 12 is aligned in the overlap area 29 and extends substantially the full length of the overlap area and is about A inch Wide. It is formed by a plurality of perforations which completely penetrate the external marginal portion of fibrous core 20, the inner liner 21 and outer label 19. This is best seen at 18 and 18 in FIGURE 4. The perforations 18 and 18' are discontinuous and parallel. Because they are discontinuous they allow the transmission of stress across the overlap area in the external marginal portion in spite of the fact that they penetrate the external marginal portion. Starting tab 14 is provided for ease of tearing.

Body member 15 is secured in its tubular form by glue line 16. Glue line 16 lies between external edge 13 and perforation 18 and extends continuously substantially the full length of the overlap area.

To prevent wicking of moisture or grease throughout the interior edge 22, a wax seal 25 is provided. It extends the full length of internal edge 22.

After the tubular container is filled with dough or other contents and end closures 11 are attached, it is easily opened. By grasping tab 14, tear strip 12 may be removed by tearing along perforations 18 and 18'. The removal of the tear strip, a continuous severing of body member 15, destroys the elfect of glue line 16 leaving only the structural rigidity imparted by end closures 11. By grasping the ends of the container and twisting them in opposite directions the container may be opened along external edge 22 and perforation 18, allowing removal of the contents without mutilation.

The foregoing is a description of the preferred embodiment of the invention. It may take other forms.

The overlap area need not necessarily extend helically around the circumference of the container. It may extend only partially around the circumference as in FIGURE 2, or it may not extend around the circumference at all, being parallel to the longitudinal axis as in FIGURE 3. The design shown in FIGURE 3 provides the maximum amount of columnar strength, little reliance being placed on glue line 16 for the transmission of such stress. This design, when being opened, requires tearing body member 15 from end closure 11 as opposed to twisting the ends in opposite directions as in the container shown in FIG- URES l and 2.

Glue line 17 may be used in addition to glue line 16. Glue line 17 is aligned between internal edge 22 and perforation 18', and imparts greater strength to the overlap area. It must be weak enough, however, to allow the rupture of the overlap after the tear strip is removed. Both glue lines 16 and 17 may take the form of strips as opposed to lines and may cover the entire overlap area with the exception of surface 24 of tear strip 12.

The tear means may take other forms. It may be formed by two parallel lines of circular perforations or be only one line of perforations. In the case of only one line, the container might be opened by a tear string lying in the overlap area coincidental with the perforations. No matter what tear means is utilized, the perforations need not necessarily completely penetrate body member 15. A complete penetration of fibrous core 20 alone is sufficient. Outer label 19 and inner liner 21 are not so strong as to prevent removal of the tear strip and subsequent rupture of the container respectively in the absence of perforations in the label and liner.

The width of the overlap area can be varied as desired to alter the strength of the container. When greater strength is desired, the width can be increased to give a greater gluing area.

Body member 15 need not necessarily include an outer label 19 and inner liner 21. The inner liner might be replaced by a lacquer spray or wax seal making the inside of the container impervious to moisture and grease. When the container is used in connection with dry contents, the

Patented Oct. 26, 1965' impervious layer may be omitted entirely. The outer label might be omitted, it not being essential to the invention.

The container of FIGURES 1 and 2 is formed by providing body member with tear strip 12 as shown in FIGURE 5. Body member 15 is wound on stationary mandrel 23 by the well-known method of utilizing a figure-eight belt. By adjusting the feed angle, the amount of overlap 29 may be varied.

The container of FIGURE 3 is formed in a similar manner. The form of body member 15 varies, however, prior to its passage about a mandrel 23 as best seen in FIGURE 6. Body member 15 is passed about mandrel 23 as described above. The distance 28 between internal edge 22 and external edge 13 is in excess of the circumference of the mandrel in an amount equal to the width 29 of the overlap area.

Just prior to passage about mandrel 23, glue line 16 is applied to body member 15. It may be applied to the underside of the external marginal portion of the overlap or to the top side of the inner marginal portion of the overlap in the area lying between external edge 13 and perforation 18. When glue line 17 is used, it is similarly applied.

After tube 26 is formed on the mandrel 23, it is cut into appropriate lengths and one end closure 11 is secured to one end. Dough or other contents are then placed into the container, the other end closure is secured and the complete container and contents are provided.

I claim:

1. A tubular container comprising a substantially cylindrical fibrous core having an internal and external edge and an internal marginal portion adjacent said internal edge and an external marginal portion adjacent said external edge, said external marginal portion overlapping and contacting said internal marginal portion to form an overlap area extending the full length of said core, tear means extending the full length of said overlap area aligned in said overlap area for continuously severing said external marginal portion, a first adhesive joint in said overlap area between said tear means and said external edge, adhesive material in said area between said tear means and said internal edge extending continuously the length of said overlap area, said first adhesive joint and said adhesive material comprising two parallel circumferentially spaced adhesive joints, one provided on either side of the tear means, at least one end closure secured to at least one end of said core, the removal of the tear means disengaging the first joint from the part of the external marginal portion of the core on the opposite side of the tear means from the first joint and allowing the second joint to remain in tact, said adhesive material holding the container closed following the removal of the tear means and the application of less pressure to the outside thereof following removal of the tear means than required to open said container prior to removal of said tear means rupturing said adhesive material thereby allowing said container to open.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said overlap area extends helically around at least a portion of the circumference of said core.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein said overlap area is equal in length to the height of said core and extends around no part of the circumference of said core.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said tear means comprises a tear strip formed by a series of short, closely spaced, lineal perforations, said perforations lying in two parallel lines and penetrating said external marginal portion.

5. The container of claim 4 and an inner liner and outer label adhered to said fibrous core.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,218,509 10/40 Goodyear 229-51 2,275,896 3/42 Geist 22951 2,658,663 11/53 Reese 229-51 2,695,847 11/54 Fisher.

2,793,126 5/57 Fienup et al. 22951 X 2,795,366 6/57 Magill 229-51 3,011,691 12/61 Mcglynn et al 229-51 X 3,051,370 8/62 Hanlon 22951 3,102,818 9/63 Zoeller et a1 2295 1 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

1. A TUBULAR CONTAINER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL FIBROUS CORE HAVING AN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EDGE AND AN INTERNAL MARGINAL PORTION ADJACENT SAID INTERNAL EDGE AND AN EXTERNAL MARGINAL PORTION ADJACENT SAID EXTERNAL EDGE, SAID EXTERNAL MARGINAL PORTION OVERLAPPING AND CONTACTING SAID INTERNAL MARGINAL PORTION TO FORM AN OVERLAP AREA EXTENDING THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID CORE, TEAR MEANS EXTENDING THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID OVERLAP AREA ALIGNED IN SAID OVERLAP AREA FOR CONTINUOUSLY SERVERING SAID EXTERNAL MARGINAL PORTION, A FIRST ADHERSIVE JOINT IN SAID OVERLAP AREA BETWEEN SAID TEAR MEANS AND SAID EXTERNAL EDGE, ADHESIVE MATERIAL IN SAID AREA EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY THE MEANS AND SAID INTERNAL EDGE EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY THE LENGTH OF SAID OVERLAP AREA, SAID FIRST ADHESIVE JOINT AND SAID ADHESIVE MATERIAL COMPRISING TWO PARALLEL CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED ADHESIVE JOINTS, ONE PROVIDED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TEAR MEANS, AT LEAST ONE END CLOSURE SECURED TO AT LEAST ONE END OF SAID CORE, THE REMOVAL OF THE TEARS MEANS DISENGAGING THE FIRST JOINT FROM THE PART OF THE EXTERNAL MARGINALIA PORTION OF THE CORE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE TEAR MEANS FROM THE FIRST JOINT AND ALLOWING THE SECOND JOINT TO REMAIN IN TACT, SAID ADHESIVE MATERIAL HOLDING THE CONTAINER CLOSED FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL OF THE TEAR MEANS AND THE APPLICATION OF LESS PRESSURE TO THE OUTSIDE THEREOF FOLLOWING REMOVAL OF THE TEAR MEANS THAN REQUIRED TO OPEN SAID CONTAINER PRIOR TO REMOVAL OF SAID TEAR MEANS RUPTURNING SAID ADHESIVE MATERIAL THEREBY ALLOWING SAID CONTAINER TO OPEN. 